Evaluation of recipes for obtaining single terminated perovskite oxide substrates

• We have re-assessed different methods to obtain single terminated perovskite oxide substrate surfaces of SrTiO3, LaAlO3 and NdGaO3. The surfaces have been probed by a combination of atomic and lateral force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflection high-energy electron diffraction. (0 0 1)SrTiO3 surfaces were prepared with HF or plasma etching and annealing, (0 0 1)LaAlO3 surfaces were prepared with or without HCl etching and a consecutive annealing at 750–1100 °C, and (1 1 0)NdGaO3 surfaces were only annealed. Two of the recipes have previously been suggested to result in A-site terminated surfaces. However, except for the case of high-temperature annealed LaAlO3 where we observe a double-terminated surface, our data suggest that the single terminated surfaces obtained by these methods were of B-site type.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Oxide substrate

Surface termination

Surfaces and interfaces

Ytor och mellanytor

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)